The first international cargo train along the 1,035-kilometer China-Laos Railway arrives in Vientiane, Laos,on December 4, 2021. Photo: VCG

The China-Laos Railway has accelerated the formation of a new logistics channel between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with the railway transporting 670,000 passengers and 170,000 tons of goods in the first month, China State Railway Group Co said. 

According to a statement sent to the Global Times by China Railway, the successful operation of the China-Laos Railway has boosted local tourism while bringing more convenience to residents living along the line. Residents in Pu'er and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan Province can now travel by train. Monday officially marked the first month of the successful operation.

The China-Laos Railway has strongly boosted the tourism economy along the line, attracting many tourists who take the train to visit major scenic spots. Travel bookings for Pu'er and Xishuangbanna have increased by 92.4 percent and 59.9 percent, respectively, compared with the previous month. 

The number of passengers carried by the Railway on a single day increased from 19,000 at the opening to a maximum of 33,000 for the domestic section of the line, with a total of 620,000 passengers riding the train. 

The international passengers traveling through the section outside of the Chinese mainland grew from 1,000 per day at the opening to a high of 2,600, with more than 50,000 passengers taking the train. 

The railway has also shortened shipping time and costs between Kunming in Yunnan and Vientiane in Laos to as little as 30 hours, with 380 cargo trains having operated since December 3, sending 170,000 tons of goods, including 70 international cargo trains.  

More than 10 provinces and cities in China, including East China's Shandong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, and South China's Guangdong Province, have started international cargo trains to Vientiane and other foreign cities through the China-Laos Railway.

The types of goods shipped have expanded from rubber and fertilizer at the beginning to electronics, photovoltaics, communications equipment, automobiles, textiles, vegetables, flowers and other products.

With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership taking effect from January 1, the freight volume of the China-Laos Railway is expected to grow steadily.

Moving forward, China State Railway Group will continue strengthening epidemic prevention measures in a bid to ensure a safe and smooth transportation system.